Earthenware beer steins.

Beer stein or simply stein are English neologisms for either traditional beer mugs made out of stoneware, or specifically ornamental beer mugs that are usually sold as souvenirs or collectibles. Such Steins may be made out of stoneware (rarely the inferior earthenware), pewter, porcelain, or even silver, wood or crystal glass; they may have open tops or hinged pewter lids with a thumb-lever. Steins usually come in sizes of a half liter or a full liter (or comparable historic sizes). Like decorative tankards, they are often decorated in a nostalgic manner, but with allusions to Germany or Bavaria.

[edit] Etymology

common half-litre Humpen or beer mug.

Stein is an abbreviation of German Steinzeug "stoneware"^[1], the common material for beer mugs before the introduction of glass.

Bierstein in German means beerstone – i. e. beer scale – a hard biofilm of calcium oxalate, protein, and sugar formed when a brewing vessel is used repeatedly without exacting cleaning.

[edit] Folk etymology

A popular folk (or false) etymology for stein is "Steinkrug," which is, at best, an obscure German contraction of Steinzeug-Krug ("stoneware-mug").

[edit] Cultural misconceptions

Ordinary German beer mugs have been made out of glass for hygienic reasons since the introduction of glass mugs to the 1892 Oktoberfest. Modern beer mugs, except again decorative or luxury versions, don't have a lid.

Beer mugs (0.5 and 1 liter) are typical for beer gardens and especially the Oktoberfest, where they are popular for their robustness. In other settings, 0.33 and 0.5 liter beer glasses are also popular.

[edit] Other forms and synonyms

In German-speaking regions beer mugs may be known as:

• Bierkrug ("beer mug")
• Maßkrug or Maß (for a one-liter beer mug)
• Humpen
• Seidel
• Stein(Palatinate, 1 Litre)
• Keferloher, the traditional (but non-embellished) stoneware beer mug, named after the village of Keferloh near Munich where they were originally produced

Considered collectible are traditional designs such as brewery emblems, Bavarian motifs such as Neuschwanstein or the Marienplatz Rathaus-Glockenspiel of Munich, and the colorful official annual Oktoberfest souvenir mug featuring the year's winning poster design.

[edit] The lid

Gigantic German beer stein (31.99 litre capacity, 15.88kilos empty).

Although they have long gone out of fashion, the lids on beer mugs serve as a sanitary measure especially to keep insects out of the beer. They are usually made out of pewter, and are usually equipped with a lever that is in reach of the thumb, so that it is possible to grab the mug and open and close the lid with a single hand (if one can stem the weight, that is).

Nowadays beer mats are usually used to cover the glass or mug when required.

[edit] See also

• Maß
• Oktoberfest
• Tankard

[edit] Pictures

German Maßkrug of Augustiner Bräu.

Beer mugs and stein.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• A Brief History of Beer Steins, an article from a collector's website, taken from The Beer Stein Book: a 400 Year History (ISBN 1-889591-00-9)
• German Beer Steins
• (http://www.steinmarks.co.uk/) The most comprehensive collection of Stein Mark's available, compiled by Chris Wheeler.